Photo by HalSwann@inspire.inc.com

Dear Friend and Fellow Music Lover,

I am thrilled to be launching my debut CD.
Please join us on:

Thursday November 26, 2009
Heliconian Hall
35 Hazelton Avenue, Yorkville
8 p.m.
$15
Reservations: 647.294.0784

Jordan Klapman’s Jazz Band backs up DONNA GREENBERG as she launches her debut CD “STRANGER”, featuring Jord’s arrangements of jazz standards and Donna’s gorgeous new latin originals. Kevin Laliberte/guitar, Igor Babich/sax, Alan Heatherington/ percussion, Jack Zorawski/bass.

DONNA GREENBERG – Vocalist/Songwriter/Lyricist

Donna Greenberg is a unique and versatile artist. Her warm, sweet voice, innate musicality, dramatic flair, and sensitivity to lyrics are evident in her lively and heartfelt performances. Whether singing originals or standards, Donna captures the soul of each song. Her deep love of music shines through all that she sings and creates.

A vocalist, songwriter, lyricist -as well as a choreographer, former dancer and dance filmmaker – Donna’s earliest musical influences were jazz, opera, musical theatre, and liturgical music. After graduating in English Literature from University of Toronto, Donna completed extensive studies in voice, piano, harmony, counterpoint, and ear training. She performed numerous solo recitals of classical music including programmes in French, Italian, Spanish, and German as well as including gesture in her Baroque song recitals. She has also composed and wrote the lyrics for a number of vocal and choral compositions.

Her first real foray into jazz was her one woman show A Tribute to Gershwin, Porter and Rodgers, which she sang, danced, and wrote. Her decision to study and perform jazz came when she began coaching sessions with Adi Braun in 2008. Since then, Donna has worked with arranger Jordan Klapman on some of her originals which have been recorded on her debut CD Stranger. She has enjoyed her return to the stage as a jazz vocalist and looks forward to sharing her unique blend of talents with audiences.

JORDAN KLAPMAN – Pianist/Bandleader

Jordan Klapman is a pianist, accompanist, bandleader, music director, and popular music lecturer. Equally at home in jazz festivals, clubs, concert halls, and theatres, he has appeared at Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall for numerous performances with Seniors’ Jubilee, the largest talent showcase in North America. He has appeared on CBC radio and television and JazzFM radio as both a pianist and radio show co-host with the late Jeff Healey.

Jordan loves performing and touring with top Canadian and American vocalists and jazz performers including Adi Braun, Ron Joseph, Mick Lewis, Julie Michels, Tony Quarrington, Jon Seiger, and Sharon Smith.

Jordan leads several groups of his own including 100 Years Of Waller, The SHINE Quintet, The JK Jazz Trio, and Klapman’s Klezmer Band. He is music director of A Tribute to Ella and Louis, The Forbidden Weimar Kabarett, and Simply Brill: Great Songs of the ‘60s. He is also a member of The Hot Five Jazzmakers, Chris McKhool’s FiddleFire!, and The Yiddish Swingtet.

In 2004 Jordan released 100 Years Of Waller, an album dedicated to Fats Waller’s greatest hits. In 2007 Jordan released SHINE, an album of classic jazz instrumentals featuring an all-star quintet that includes clarinetist Mick Lewis of the Climax Jazz Band. A second 2007 CD release, The Yiddish Swingtet’s SHUL DAYS, combines two of Jordan’s favourite music genres, traditional klezmer and classic Benny Goodman swing. Selections from these two most recent CDs can be heard across Canada on both CBC Radio and internationally on Sirius Satellite Radio.

Jordan’s latest CDs, RON JOSEPH and Friends has just been released and features clarinet virtuoso Ron Joseph and extraordinary trumpeter/vocalist Jon Seiger. and DONNA GREENBERG Stranger.

IGOR BABICH – Saxist

An internationally-accomplished saxophonist, Igor moved to Canada in 2004 and has since shared the stage with some of Canada’s top jazz performers including Roberto Occhipinti, Alexis Baro, Mark Kelso, ”Chendy” Leon, Jack Zorawski, Jay Boehmer, Stan Fomin, Amanda Martinez, Alberto Alberto, and Jordan Klapman. Igor has performed in Russia at the Rostov-On-Don Jazz Festival, Israel’s Red Sea International Jazz Festival, Toronto’s Distillery Jazz Festival, and Downtown Oakville Jazz Festival. Igor can be heard on DONNA GREENBERG Stranger.

ALAN HETHERINGTON – Drummer/Percussionist

Alan Hetherington is a Canadian drummer/percussionist who has studied and performed widely in North and South America and the Caribbean. He has studied Cumbia in Colombia, the Joropo tradition (maracas) in Venezuela, Afro-Peruvian music in Peru, Cuban folkloric music in Havana, and specializes in the many musical styles of Brazil. He has performed with The Vancouver Symphony, The Toronto Symphony, The Canadian Opera Company, Nexus, Peter Erskine, John Wyre and World Drums, Glen Velez, Trichy Sankaran, and Celso Machado. He is a member of the Contemporary World-Jazz group, Vuja De, and Ravi Naimpally’s Indo-Jazz ensemble, Tasa. He has made many recordings for television and film and has toured with ensembles and as a solo artist throughout Europe, North and South America and Japan. Since 1989 Alan has spent Toronto winters in Brazil performing with Sombra e Agua Fresca, Denys Christian, Bell Brasil, Carlos do Cavaco and Filo Machado. The Escola de Samba de Toronto and Alan’s connections to Brazil are the subject of filmmaker Avi Lev’s recently released documentary, We Are Samba.

KEVIN LALIBERTE – Guitarist

In 1999, guitarist Kevin Laliberté left a full time computer programming job to tour the world with EMI recording artist Jesse Cook. Since then, Kevin has produced 3 CDs of his unique instrumental music, blending nouveau flamenco with bossa-nova and other world music flavours.

In addition to his long-time collaboration with latin vocalist Amanda Martinez, and a hectic schedule with the flamenco-gypsy-jazz-fusion band Sultans of String, Kevin continues to promote his own music to an expanding audience.

CDs include Elation (independent – 2000) and Siesta (Avalon – 2006). Kevin’s latest release, Sundance has been hailed by Jesse Cook as “…his best work yet.” It was featured on iTunes Canada Indie Spotlight. He appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno with Jesse Cook, backing up Charlotte Church. Toured Japan and Canada with Jesse Cook and The Chieftains. Kevin performed in China with Jesse Cook and Chinese recording artist Dadawa. Kevin can be heard on DONNA GREENBERG Stranger.

JACK ZORAWSKI – Bassist

Jack first appeared on the Toronto jazz scene in 1986 after professional classical double bass training, and a stint as a folk singer-songwriter, and an actor-vocalist in experimental musical theatre. Since then, he has become an “in-demand” freelance bassist working locally and touring with a number of notable musicians. Jack is also a studio musician and accomplished composer.

He has appeared with the cream of Canada’s jazz stars: Michael Urbaniak, Bernie Senensky, Brian Dickinson, Big Rude Jake, Norman Marshall Villenueve, Kirk McDonald, Peter Appleyard, Jake Langley and many, many others.

His innumerable jazz club appearances include Toronto’s “Top of the Senator”, “Montreal Bistro”, and “Rex Jazz Bar”, “Fillmore” San Francisco, “House of Blues” Los Angeles and Chicago, “CBGB” New York City, “Red Room” New Orleans and extensive work in night clubs throughout the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Germany.

Jack’s festival/concert resumes includes performances in Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, Winnipeg, Calgary, Red Deer, Saskatoon. numerous Ontario Festivals, “Jam Potatoes Jazz Festival” France, “Arachon Jazz Festival” France, “Blue Balls Festival” Switzerland, “Hot Jazz 2000” Germany, and the “Cognac Jazz Festival”, France.

Studio Recordings as a sideman include “Loose Changes” with Tony Quarrington, “Notes From Home” with Doreen Smith, “Swinging the Blues” with Glenn Anderson, “Slims Joint” with Melissa Stilianou, and “Moon Glow” with the Hot Club Trio and DONNA GREENBERG Stranger.